Plural-speed friction drive mechanism



Sept. 30, 1952 s. E. CAPELL 2,612,053

7 PLURAL-SPEED FRICTION DRIVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 6, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 30, 1952 s. E. CAPELL 2,612,053

PLURAL-SPEED FRICTION DRIVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 6. 1949 "lllllllll iin m 56 II I 52 54 I ll 47 W 5 r v INVENTOR.

e Sheets-Sheet 2 5 30, 1952 s. E. AFLL 2,612,053

PLURAL-SPEED FRICTION DRIVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 6, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Sept. 30, 1952 s. E. CAPELL 2,612,053

' PLURAL-SPEED FRICTION DRIVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 6, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 30, 1952 s. E. CAPELL,

PLURAL-SPEED FiiICT-ION DRIVE MECHANISM Filed D 'ec. 6. 1949* 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 11 I '1 l I 1111111111111 I'IIIIIII Sept. 30, 1952 s. EJCAPIELL v PLURAL-SREED FRICTION DRIVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 6, 1949 s Sheets-Sheei e INVENTOR.

F'atented Sept. 30, 1952 PLURAL-SPEED rarcrron'peivs MECHANISM Sidney E. Capell, Elyria, Ohio, assignor to The General Industries Company Elyria, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application December 6, 1949,--Ser'ial No.' 131,330

'11 (Jlaims.

My invention relates to a plural Speed 'friction drivev mechanism for driving phonograph turntables at any selected one of a plurality of rotational speeds. -More particularly, my present 'inventionxrelates to the driving of a final drive friction wheel which, in turn, is adapted to be peripherally irictionally engaged with an annular element of a phonograph turntable such as an annular pendantfia'nge thereof in substantially the same manner as disclosed in the prior patent granted to Herbert L Hartman, No. 2,421,910, on June 10, 1947.

.With respect to the improved means herein disclosed for selectively driving the idler wheel at three different speeds,- my invention in some aspects, "represents improvements over the mechanism of the pending application of Herbert L. Hartman, Serial No. 22 348 filed April 21, 1948, and of Patent No. 2,438,265 to Metzner, dated March 23, 194,8.

Objects of my invention include the following:

To provide an improved plural speed iri'ction drive mechanism adaptedto effect rotation "of a final drive wheel or the mechanism, at any of at least three difierent rotational speeds,- the rim of said wheel being adapted for dispositionifi horizontal alignment with, and being adapted for frictional driving engagement with'such an annular element of a turntable asa pendant peripheral flange thereof, whereby said-turntable may be selectively driven by said wheel at any of a plurality of different rotational speeds To achieve the driving of such friction wheel at a plurality of speeds in an improved manner including the selective engagement of thesaid wheel with either of two pulley portions or'a first motor drivenpulley, which portions are-oi different diameters and are disposed at difierent levels.-and as an additional alternative, to effect peripheral engagement between said wheel and a portion of a second pulley which is driven by the motor shaft, and preferably by means of a belt encompassing" another portion of the :said first motor driven pulley and a portion of said second pulley.

To achieve. any or all of the foregoing. objects in an improved mechanism wherein the said wheel is resiliently constrained toward ancperative position of engagement with any of the pluralityof said pulley portions by which said wheel isadapted to be selectively driven. v

To provide an improved plural-speed driving mechanism applicable to the driving by a f nal ferred embodiment of my invention, which is drive wheel thereof flangeof a phonograph turntable, by vertically adjusting the idler. wheel in an improvedmanner; so .as to eliect engagement thereof by..,eitheroi two coeaxial upper or. lower portions-of a motor; driven'pulley which are of different diameters ortoshift saididler wheel laterally and at times.

alsovertically to place itin engagement within:

pulley element which is driven by. saidsha'tt and disposed in interspaced relation thereto.

To provide an improved drive mechanism .ior"

phonograph turntables whereby any-or all of, the foregoing objects may beachieved andwhich the foregoing objects may be achieved and which comprises a speed selecting handle "which is adapted for movement in a path which is of} uniform directional nature throughout to :,a pinrality of adjustment positions which are interspaced in said path. 1

To provide an improved drive mechanism for phonograph turntables whereby any-.or all-of the foregoing objects may be achieved wherein the. degree of pressure exerted between the ;pe-. ripheral pulley portions of serially rclatedpairs;

of friction driving elements'of theymechanismof which one thereof is the final drive f riction wheel of the mechanism which is initially "determined by the force exerted byyieldable spring means of themechanism.

T0 provide all improved driveimechanism 1:61 phonograph turntable whereby any oral-lot the" foregoing objects may be achieved wherein the degree of pressure exerted betweenthe -periph--' e ral pulley portions of serially;relatedpairs"of friction driving elements or the niechanismfof which one thereof is the final drive rrictionwheei of the mechanism which is initiall'yncterm'ned by the force exerted by yieldable .spring mea'ns of the mechanism and wherein during theanva ing 'ofsaid turntable bysaid wheel thedegree of such pressure engagement is variably creased according to. the. load imposed -upon- ,-sa-id wheel by the driven turntable. e

Other objects of my inventio -an th -in n tion itself will be apparentto thoseshilled -in the art to which my invention =appertains ;by reference to the following-r-description:one preof a peripheral annular illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates the mechanism of my invention in plan view, a pendant flange portion of a turntable being shown with the idler wheel of the mechanism applied to the inner concave surface of said flange and the adjustment mechanism being shown in that position wherein the relationship between the driving pulleys and the idler wheel is such that a pulley driven through a belt by a motor shaft makes peripheral driving engagement with a rubber peripheral tread of said idler wheel.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but illustrating the parts of the mechanism as relatively disposed for effecting driving of said idler wheel as a result of peripheral engagement between said idler wheel and a pulley portion of the motor shaft which is of relatively larger diameter than a second pulley portion thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view substantially like those in Figs. 1 and 2 but showing the parts so disposed as to effect driving of said idler wheel as a result ofperipheral frictional engagement between the rubber tread of said idler wheel and the second pulley portion of said motor shaft and which por-- tion is of lesser diameter than the said portion which in Fig. 1 is shown in engagement with said idler wheel rim.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line a 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the drive mechanism and a portion of the turntable and driving motor in side elevation, with certain parts shown as broken away to expose other parts therebeyond.

- Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to that of Fig. 4 but taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of portions of the mechanism of my invention, the view being takenon the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of certain portions of the mechanism of my invention, the view being taken as from a vertical plane such as that being indicated at 'i-! in Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a flanged circular cam which is a part of the selective adjustment apparatus employed in my improved mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the said cam of Fig. 8 as applied to the function of elevating or lowering the idler wheel carrier por-.

tionof my mechanism.

- Fig. 10 is a plan view of certain elements of the adjustment apparatus for my improved drive mechanism, including the cam of Fig. 8 and also a link extending between an element of said cam .and an element of theidler wheel mount for communicating lateral adjustment movements to said idler wheel whose periphery is indicated by a dotted line circle. I

Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively top plan and side elevational views of a lever, the swingingof which accomplishes all selective speed adjustment operations.

Fig. 13 is a'vertical section taken longitudinally, medially through the motion-communicating link shown in Fig. 10, a fragmental portion of the circular cam and also of the mounting plate for the mechanism being also shown.

Fig. '14 shows a metallic pulley element and a felt washer employed therewith, both being shown-in diametrical vertical sectional view.

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the nature of that of Fig. l but illustrating a second embodiment larly. 1

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the said second embodiment with the speed adjustment mechanism disposed in a manner similar to that of Fig. 2.

Fig. 17 is a side elevational view taken from a plane indicated by the line 11-41 of Fig. 15.

Figs. 18 and 19 respectively illustrate in plan view different adjustment positions imparted to the cam disc and other associated parts by disposing a manually operable hand lever in two different adjustment positions;

Fig. 20 is a side elevational view of a detail and relates to the structure of one of three rubber grommets employed for suspending the plate which supports the unitary mechanism of the said second embodiment from the turntable platform plate I21;

Fig. 21 illustrates in plan view the modified type of handle adjustment lever employed in said second embodiment;

Fig. 22 is a side elevational view of the lever of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 shows a combination spring holder for the lever of Fig. 21 and detent spring therefor;

Fig. 24. is a side elevational view of the spring element of Fig. 23;

Fig. 25 is a vertical sectional view of a section- Fig 27 is a plan view of the cam element of Fig. 26;

Fig. 28 is a view taken from the direction of the arrows 28-48 of Fig. 18, but omitting a showing of certain of the parts and showing the remaining parts in such relatively disposed positions as is occasioned by the adjustment lever being in an intermediate stage of adjustment movement;

Fig. 29 is a view of the same general nature as that of Fig. 28 but showing the said remaining parts of Fig. 28 adjusted for effecting the same speed of drive as provided for in the showing of Fig. 7;

Referring now to all of the drawings in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, it is to'be noted that the mechanism of my invention is provided with improved adjustment means whereby the final drive wheel is caused to engage its periphery with either a relatively upper pulley portion 50 of the motor shaft i6 which is of relatively least diameter and another pulley portion 60 of said shaft which is relatively lower and is of relatively greater diameter, to achieve driving of said wheel. at two different speeds, as does the mechanism disclosed in the said prior Metzner patent, and additionally, being adapted to shift the said friction wheel I to a different lateral position to interchangeably efiect engagement between its periphery and a cylindrical pulley portion of a second pulley which is driven by an encircling belt by another still lower portion of said motor drive shaft, as does the mechanism of the prior application of Herbert L. Hartman, Serial No. 22,348 filed April 21, 1948.

My improved mechanism" involves improve--- ments with respect to either or both of the afore said mechanisms of the said prior patent and pending application, and at the same time represents a functional advance over'either thereof in that it affords selective driving of the idler wheel at any of three different peripheral speeds.

The wheel shown at 1 is positioned on a mount which comprises the wheel journal post 6, the slide element II on a web portion of which the post is secured and the slide carrier mount has slide is freely movable in all lateral directions, a

tensile helical spring 13 interposed between and secured to the slide ii and a fixed element 39 yieldingly urge the said wheel outwardly from the carrier mount 8 and tends to swing said mount on its journal post 4, so that the periphery of the idler wheel I may be yieldably engaged with the driving pulley means which in this case is the upper pulley portion M of the pulley 4!] or alternatively, either the upper pulley portion 50 or the lower pulley portion 60 of the motor shaft IS.

The spring l3 also resiliently urges another relatively arcuately interspaced rim portion of the idler wheel as indicated at I! against such a concavely annular inwardly facing surface ofa phonograph turntable element which is here shown as being the flange l8 of the turntable iii.

A supporting post 22, for the turntable I9, is journalled for rotation on said platform in accordance with well-known, established practice, and the usual machine screws 23 and rubber cushioning and non-sound conducting grommets 24 afford convenient means for detachably securing said plate 3 and the thereby carried vmechnaism to a turntable supporting platform such as that at 2| for the purpose of effecting peripheral engagement between the rim of the final drive wheel 1 which thus operates as an idler wheel, and the pendant peripheral flange l8 of the turntable I9 which is fitted upon said post 22.

The electrical driving motor M is pendantly supported by the plate 3, by a plurality of bolts at 4|, 43 and 62 with the motor shaft [6 loosely projected upwardly through coaxial apertures of the plate and of a relatively superposed speed selecting lever 26, the upper end portion of the shaft l6 being formed to provide an uppermost friction pulley portion of relatively small diameter, while the adjacent but lower portion of the shaft affords a second alternate friction pulley portion of substantially greater diameter.

The speed selecting lever 26 is apertured at 26a for passage of the motor shaft, the metal border- 21, the upper groove containing a split wire 32,13 rigidly riveted at its lower end to thelever- 26, and a felt lubricant absorbent washer 28 and a metallic pulley 40, having respectively upper cylindrical and lower crowned pulley portions [4 and 29, are successively telescoped over said post, the bore of the pulley being preferably closed at its upper end by a solder or other metallic plug 3!. The upper end of the post 25, which makes bearing engagement with the plug 3i,

causes the lower end of the pulley to make but light engagement with the felt washer 28, andthe split ring 312 makes sufficient frictional en'- gagement with the wall of the pulley bore tocause the ring to rotate with the pulley 40,- and to resist upward movement of the pulley element on the post 25.

The portion ofthe motor shaft IE, projects above the level of the lever'2B has an uppermost, diametrically reduced upper end pulley portion 58, an intermediate next lower pulley portion 60, which is conveniently of larger diameter, and a lowermost belt pulley porion 10.

By virtue of the above construction, the lower' and relatively larger crowned pulley portion 29 of the pulley element 48 i rotatable on said post 25 and its crowned portion 29 is disposed at the level of a portion 1a of the motor shaft l3 which is disposed adjacently below the afore-'- said lower shaft pulley portion 60, whereby a rubber band 88 may be stretched and loweredover said shaft and pulley 4D and looped over said shaft portion i0 and the crowned pulley-'- portion 29 of the pulley 40, said belt thus serving to communicate rotary motion from the motor shaft to aid pulley element 4ii, for the ultimate purpose of rotatin the upper cylindrical pulley portion M of said pulley 40.

The lever 26, whose swinging axis coincides with the axis of the motor shaft I6 carries the pulley 40 which thus may be shifted about the motor shaft axis, toward and away from'the' rubber rim of the idler wheel I. I.

The lever 26, near its end which is disposed remotely beyond its swinging axis 35 from its manually actuated end 44, is provided with a transverse arcuate aperture 36 and beyond said aperture is provided with a relatively narrow extension 31, to which is pendantly affixed a motion communicating connecting pin 38, to reciprocate a horizontal link 45, to. which it is" pivotally connected, at. 84, said link in turn, be- 5 ing pivotally connected by its other end, at 52,"

to a formed cam disc 46, which thus maybe rotatively adjusted by motion transmitted "by" said link 45, from the end 31- of the lever 28, to

said disc 46. i

The lever 26 is held against the upper surface of the mounting plate 3 by a screw 4i and a leaf spring 42, the latter having an end clamped tothe plate 3 by a screw 43, which additionally secures to said plate 3, the element 39 to which an end of the spring I3 is secured to said plate; the free end of said leaf spring 42 frictionally en gages the upper surface of the lever 28 to restrain shown in association with other elements in Figs;

6', 7, 9, 10 and 13 and lesscompletely in other figures of the drawings, comprises a lowermost circular flat surface 49 and is operatively mountwhich I dat the lower side ofthe mounting plate 3, said disc having a centrally disposed tubular hub portion-46c by-which it-is'journalled for rotativeswinging on a post 41, projected-through its huh-which post is fixedly anchored by its upper end-48 in an aperture of said mounting plate.

- When the lever 26 is adjustablyswung, about the axis of the motor shaft IE, swinging motion is communicated from its end extension 31 through the pin 38, to an end of the link 45 which is-;pivotallysecuredat'52 to the flat underside of the camdisc 48 by a screw 53. A screw 54 pivotally joins the connecting pin 38, and the otherend of the link 45.

The cam disc 46 is provided, at its upper side, With'camming surfaces at 56, and at '1, that at 56 rising from a land 51 to a more elevated arcuately formed land 5611. which is at the uppermost surface of an arcuate flange 59 which borders the edge of said disc.

A pin- 58--whichis secured at its upper'end to the swingable idler wheel carrier 8 and extends downwardly through a substantially large arcuate aperture at 59 of the plate 3, engages, by its lower end, the cam surface 55, and when the disc is swung in eitheropposite direction to shift the point of engagement of said pin 53 from the one said land to the other said land, the cam causes said pin,- and therefore the wheel carrier 8., and wheel ,1 to be raised or lowered.

' Aspring-65, secured at its two .ends to the carrier 8 and to the plate 3, resiliently tends to 'low-* ersaid carrier, so that when the cam is swung insuch direction as to permit the pin 58 to'be lowered, the spring is effective to ensure that the carrier descends.

Another function of-the cam disc is to move the. idler wheel 1 laterally out .of peripheral engagement with either of the motor shaft pulley portions 50 or 60,.when the idler wheel is to be shifted .from peripheral engagement with one said portion, preliminary to its making peripheral engagement with the other such portion.

To achieve such momentary. lateralmovement of the wheel I, a pin '66, secured to the lower end of the idler wheel journal post 6, extends downwardly therefrom into an aperture 571 of a slide elementzfi8, which is slidingly guided in longitudinal movement on the plate 3 by a pin 19 rigid,-

ly anchored in said plate 3 at its. lower end andhaving its shank loosely "projected through a longitudinal slot 212 .of said slide element, and its head surmounting theilateral portions of the element 68 which border said slot.

At the end of theslide B3 opposite to the end having the. aperture, a cam follower roller element 73 is carried on a pin M whoseupper headed end is rigidly secured to the slide end, and said pin I4 is projected'downwardly through an enlarged-aperture '75 of the plate 3 at aportion thereof which adapts said roller to be'laterally engaged by the "lateral cam projection '55 of the camdisc '46;

Figs'jlil and 13 show the alcove described structure involvingjthe roller '13, slide 68 and pin 6.6 and by a dotted .line circle in. Fig. 8, one -opera tive position of saidroller 13 is shown with respect to the cam 55 of the disc 45.

It will be thus understood that when the .disc 46 is wung in the counter clockwise direction indicated by the arrowin :Fig. .8, that the lateral cam 55 will engage and laterally shift the roller n thus also the-slide $8, the pin 66, and idler. wheel journal'post 6, and wheel 1 to disengage.

g. the'wheel' periphery from the-pre-engaged motor shaft pulley portion, 50 or 60.

A consequent reversed rotational movement of the disc will similarly laterally. shift said roller 13 and wheel I for the same purpose.

Having described the details of the speed shifting mechanism, itsoperation will be readily understood by reference to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof which illustrate the three operative adjustment relative positions of the idler wheel, the pulley Land the two motor'shaft pulley portions 50 and B0.

In Fig; l the idler wheel is peripherally engaged only with thebeltdriven cylindrical pulley IA; in Fig. 2 it is similarly only engaged with the shaft pulley portion 68; and in Fig. ,3, such engagement is only had with the pulley portion 50. These three adjustment. positions are also respectively shown in Figs. 4, 5 and '7, and again, Fig. 6 shows the above recited second position of Figs. 2 and 5 with the elevating pin 58 in lowermostposition on the lower land 51, with the idler wheel therefor disposed at its lower of two levels and where the elevating pin is closely adjacent to the cam surface 56 which it engages when the cam discis further rotated in the clockwise direction of Fig. 8 or-toward the left as in Figs. 6 and 9, Fig. 9 showing the pin 58 and the wheel I being elevated, while the lateralcam 55 is momentarily shifting the wheel 1 laterally out of peripheral engagement with the shaft pulley portion 60.

The relatively angularly different positions of the lever 26 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are progressively relatively more clockwise advanced, and represent the manually eiiectedsettingsof the lever .to.

achieve driving of the idler wheel at three. different peripheral speeds which may, if desired,be such as to drive a turntable respectively at'45 R. P. M.',.7 8 R. ,P-M. and 33 R..P. M.

While driving of the idler wheel by the pulley I4, or bythe shaft pulley'portion 60 is achieved with the idler wheel disposed at the same lower level, the changeof engagement of the periphery of said-wheel by said pulley I l instead of the shaft pulley portion fit is effected by a further counter-clockwise movement of the lever from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 1, whereby the pulley I4 which is carried on the lever 26, is rotatively advanced to engage the periphery of the. wheel i and to push it away from the pre-engaged From the foregoing. it will be understood'that a reverse adjustment movement .of the leverto move the pulley Id in a-clockwise directionabout the lever axis 16 will disengage saidpulley from.

said wheel periphery and the spring l3 will restore the wheel periphery toengagement with the shaft,

pulley-portion 50.

Further clockwise movementof the lever to the;

position of that in Fig. 3 will first cause the cam 55 to effect the described lateral displacement of. the idler wheel to disengage its periphery from the shaft pulley portion 66, whereupon the cam 56 will elevate the pin 58 and the wheel 7 to the:

level of the uppermost shaft pulley portion 50 after which the cam 55 will release the roller 73 from engagement therewith, and lateral movement of the wheel I; by the effect of the spring. l3, will cause the wheel periphery to engage the: uppermost pulley portion 50 shown in Fig. 3. w

Them moving the lever in the counter clockwise '9 direction first causes the cam 55 to laterally disengage the wheel from the shaft pulley portion 50, thenthe pin 56 descends the cam surface-56 by virtue of tensile pull of the spring 65, and the wheel periphery is re-engaged with thepulley I4 as shown in Fig. 2.

Further counter-clockwise lever movement then removes the pulley I4 from engagement with the wheel. I, to permit the spring I3 to further move the wheel I inward to engage its periphery with the shaft pulley portion 60, as in Fig. l.

The above three adjustment positions of the lever, 26 are, preferably, yieldably'maintained by the effect of a bead projection on the free end of the leaf spring 42 bearing against the upper surface of the lever 26, where three interspaced indentures of said lever-surface are adapted to successively receive said bead projection.

All of the operative parts of the above described mechanism are unitarily carried by the plate 3, which plate 3 is adapted by means of mounting screws '23 and rubber sound insulating grommets 24. to be attached to a supporting plate such as 2 I- for a turntable post 22 which in turnis adapted to. support. a turntable I9. Thus the unitary mechanism of my invention is adapted to be removably attachedto such a plate 2| for the driving of the turntable rotatably supported by saidplate by engagement of the final drive wheel .I of the mechanism with the inner lateral surface of the annular turntable flange I8, the wheel I having a rubber sound insulating rim which engages the metallic flange I8 and said rim is also adapted for selective engagement with the metallic surface of the pulleys I4, 50 or 66, whereby no mechanism noises may be communicated to the turntable from the motor or any part of the mechanism.

I consider it also important that selective adjustment of the lever 64 to drive the wheel I at any of three different speeds is achieved by moving the handle lever 44 in a path ofmovement which is of the same directional nature throughout, and being here shown as of arcuate form instead of moving a handle in steps of movement, each step requiring movement in successive different directions as has been previously proposed.

My improved mechanism is alsodesigned so that the pressure engagement between the rubber rim of. the finaldrive wheel I with the turntable flange I8, and also at different times with the pulleys I4, 50 and 60, is achieved solely by the spring means, herein shown as a helical spring I3, such pressure engagement I tending. to roll the. wheel I between any operatively adjusted one of said pulleysandsaid turntable flange I6, but of course, as the drawingsshow, the distance between, the. engaged surfaces of any of said pulleys and the inner surface ofv saidflange is insuificient to permit said wheel to pass between any of said pulleys and said flange.

The pressure engagement afforded by said spring I3 as aforesaid, is also preferably in-- creased by the cooperative effect of the driving torque imposed upon said turntable flange by said .wheel, since the direction of rotation of said turntable and said wheel being clockwise; said wheel 1' tends to roll on said flange I8, but being prevented from doing, so, drives the turntable and the loadingof said wheel bytheturntable results only in. pressure resulting from the reactiveeffect of the. driving. torque exerted upon said wheel whichincreases the degree of pres.- surecontact between said wheel. and said flange andoperatively positioned pulley over that pres- 10 sure which would result from the. useof the spring alone.

I consider it highly important thatthe pressure contact between said wheel and theelements driven by and driving said wheel. should be maintained at a relatively low value of pressure consistent with the load imposed upon said wheel by theturntabla Referring now to the figures of drawing, 15v to 29, which illustrate a second embodiment of my invention and in which parts having functions similar to the functions of corresponding parts shown in Figs. 1 110.14.- inclusive are indicated-by reference numerals which are one hundred numbers higher than those employed todesignatethe previously described parts of the said first embodiment. In the second embodiment, asheet metal stamped disc I46 is substituted for the cast or machine disc 46, and affords anexterior camsurface projection I55 shown best in Figs. 26 and 27.

The somewhat differently formed manually operable lever I26 is pivotally secured to-and disposed at, the upper side of the main plate I03, and. is provided with a relatively'wider slot I36, Fig. 21, and. affords a set of four widelyin terspaced apertures I69a, I99b, I99c and 19911 which locate four differentrelatively interspaced stations of rest for allparts of saidlever which stations are located in a path of uniformly like directional nature throughout, and in the embodimentsshown the handle moves in an arouate path. about the point I35 which corresponds to'the swinging axis of the lever I26, to afford four different adjustment positions for. thewhe'el IIII whereas in the first embodiment three adjustment positions, only, areprovided. Theaforesaidapertures, at I99, are relativelymore: interspaced; than are the indentures 96 of the first embodiment, being located a greater distance from the swinging axis I35 o-fthe lever I25. A resilient detent spring I42 anarmof which having adownward detent projection M211 is adapted to be interchangeably received withinupper portions of. the apertures;'is provided toyieldably restrain movement of: the hand lever I26 from one toany-other adjustment position; another arm I42bof said spring I42, presses'ag'ainst the upper surface of the lever I26, both of said arms thus exerting downwardly directed pressureonthe two end-portions oft thelever to oppose any tendency of the lever to be vertically displacedzwhenin use.

The additional adjustmentposition which is provided in the second embodiment, is one wherein the rim of" the'idler'wheel I01 is not peripherally engagedwith anyof the pulley surfaces, and is selected'byswingably disposing the handle hi t of'the lever I26 to'that adjustment station} wherein the detent projection" I 4200' enters the upper portion of the. aperture: W917.

Therefore by virtue of the above described selective adjustment of saidlever I26 to causetli'e detent: M211 to regist'errwith the aperture I99b, no pressure contact by themotor'shaft' pulleys lfifl'or I56, or bythe idlerpulley surface III, withv the rim. of the wheel I61 is had; and. such adjustment position being, effected, prior" to periods of non-useof the apparatus; the rubber material of said rim, when immovable; will not be exposed to theindenturing effect of'anysuch stationary pulley surface.

The rotatable" cam I46: of. Figs. 26- and 271' is inthe form of a stamping carried on a vertical extendinghub I4'6a which inturn'is'journalled on a journal pin I41 which is carried by the frame plate I03 and while generally in the shape of a disc, the cam element I46 is cut away toprovide a tongue which aiTords a lowermost land surface I51 and an inclined cam surface I56, the

upper surface of the uncut disc portion providing an uppermost land surface I 56a.

The cam I46 is oppositely swung by virtue of swinging movements communicated from a rear portion I31 of the hand lever I26 to the disc I46 by a link I45 which is pivotally secured by a pin I38 to the portion I61 of the hand lever and whose other end is pivotally secured to the underside of the lateral projection I55 of the sheet metal disc I46 by a machine screw I53, the point of connection being conveniently lowered by the use of a spacer I54.

,L'ateral shifting of the idler wheel from a lateral position wherein the wheel I01 is in peripheral engagement with one of the two pulley surfaces I50 or I60 of the motor shaft II 6 or alternatively with the pulley surface I I4 of the stepped pulley I 3I, is achieved in a manner similar to that in the first embodiment, by the provision of a slide I68 which is pendantly and slidably supported in the underside of the main plate I03, and having a downwardly projecting cam follower I13 at one end and being apertured at I51 at its other end whereby a pendant pin I66 is secured, by its upper end, to the lower end of the post I06 upon which the idler wheel I! is journalled.

The cam follower I13 is laterally engageably with the outwardly extending cam projection I55 of the cam disc I46, whereby spring pressure being applied to the slide I68 by the spring I30, and therefor to the pin I66, the cam follower projection I 13 will be engaged with the peripheral edge surface of the cam I55 whenever the cam disc I 46 is rotated to the proper position by movement of the handle I44 of the lever I26 to rotate said cam projection I55 toward, into and out of lateral engagement with said cam follower.

The slide I68 is pendantly supported from the main plate I03 by virtue of the shank portions of a pair of interspaced elements I19, each riveted, as at I 19a, to the plate I03 and being projected through a longitudinal slot I12 of the slide I68 and by the enlarged lowermost heads I19b of the elements I19 being wider than the width of the slots to loosely support the slide, the slide being provided with an enlarged aperture I61, within which the pin I66 is passed.

Movement of the slide I68 is so related to swinging movements of the lever I26, and to the I66 with the wheel rim is disengaged as shown in Fig. 28, from the motor shaft pulley portions I50 or I60 with whichever it had precedently been engaged, and from a turntable flange such as here shown at IIB.

Since other co-related movements of the idler wheel I01 and adjustment lever I26 are efiected in the manner previously described, and by parts whose counter-parts are herein co-relatedly numbered, the description of the operation of said counter-parts to effect such adjustment movements will not be here repeated.

With respect to both said embodiments it will be readily understood that the engagement of the wheel rim with a turntable flange such as that at I6 or II8, efiects a restraining influence upon said wheel and exercises a guiding influence upon the wheel I01, to more efficiently ensure engagement of the wheel rim with any one of said pulley portions I50, I60, or II4, of said second embodiment and the corresponding pulley portions 50, 60, or I4 of said first embodiment, this being a result of directing the pull exercised by the spring I3 or I30 in the direction shown by the arrow 200 in Fig. 15.

In both embodiments shown and described herein the relative angularity of disposition of a first portion of the rim of the wheel 1 and I01, which laterally engages the flange I8 with respect to the second portion of said wheel rim which are laterally engageable with the idler pulley 4, and I04, and with respect to the third rim portion engageably with the shaft pulley portions is such that said first and second rim portions are separated by approximately 150 degrees and said first and third rim portions are separated by approximately degrees.

The direction of pull of the wheel 1 or I01 by the spring l3 or I30 is such 'as will tend to roll said wheel between the rim-engaged portion of the turntable flange I8 and either and both of said shaft and idler pulley, but of course, after the wheel rim becomes engaged with either said shaft, or idler pulley, pulley portions, no further rolling movement in response to the pull of said spring is effected.

Having thus described my invention as applied to two embodiment mechanisms, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the means herein shown, but within the purview of the principles employed herein.

I claim:

1. A selective three-speed frictional i drive transmission mechanism adapted for application to a cylindrically annular flange portion of a phonograph turntable to frictionally drive the same comprising in combination with an electric motor, an upwardly directed drive shaft thereof, a mounting plate fromwhich said motor is suspended, said shaft having an end portion projected upwardly above said plate, said end portion having three pulley portions comprising an intermediate pulley portion of greater diameter than a pulley portion disposed thereabove. and a third pulley portion disposed therebelow, a manually operable adjustment element which is selectively movable to at least three successively disposed adjustment positions being carried by said mounting plate, a supplemental pulley journalled to rotate on an axis parallel to that of said shaft on a movable portion of said adjustment element and having a relatively lower pulley portion disposed at the level of, and laterally interspaced from, said third pulley portion of said shaft, and having a relatively upper pulley portion disposed above its said lower portion, a drive belt encompassing said shaft third portion and said lower pulley portion of said supplemental pulley adapted to transmit rotary motion from said shaft to said supplemental pulley, an idler wheel journalled for rotation on an axis parallel to that of said shaft and adapted to be adjustably moved upwardly and downwardly, and being laterally shiftable in all lateral directions, spring means resiliently amaot'a constraining said wheelina, directiontoward said shaft, and means derivingadjustment-movement from said adjustment element when moving from one extreme positionto the opposite extreme position to be adapted to sequentially move said wheel laterally away from peripheral engagement with a preengaged one ofthe upper pair of'pulley portions of said shaft then tomove said wheel to the level of the other pulleyportion of said pair; and said adjustment element when disposed at an intermediate adjustment position adapted tothrust the periphery of the upper pulley portion of said supplemental pulley-Vagainst'the periphery of said wheel to so move said wheel laterallyagainst the power of said spring as to disengage said wheel periphery from said lower pulley portion of the aforesaid: pair and to frictionally drive said wheel-by power communicated to the supplemental pulley by said belt.

2. A plural-speed frictional drive mechanism for phonographturntables of the type having; an annular peripheral pendant flange, comprising a drive wheel having a rim of rubber-or equivalent friction and non-sound-conducting material, said Wheelrotatable on a vertical axis, a mount for said wheeladapted for universal, horizontal selfadjusting movements and also adapted for adjusted movements toianyof a pair of different vertical adjustment, positions, an idler pulleyelement'and a mount'therefor, said idler. pulley mount adapted for movement torelatively different laterally disposed, adjustment positions, a motor and an, upwardly extending shaft element therefor, said elements and said wheel being, separatelyjournalled for rotation on vertical :axes

and said elementseach having a plurality of pu'lley' surface portions disposed; at relatively different-levels, an endless belt looped over and resiliently maintained in engagement with the lowermost said pulley portion of bothof said elements, said lowermost portions 1 being disposed at a commonlevel, a manually adjustable controller member movable in'a path of uniform directional nature, from a first, to a, second, and then'to a thirdiposition of rest, and motion transmission means adapted, in response to, movement ofzsaid: member, to dispose said'wheel in any of itsrsaid three different adjustment positions relative to said'shaft and idler pulley portions, to

interchangeably dispose said wheel in peripheral engagement with a pulley portion of a first of said elements, a pulley portion of the other ofvsaid elements'which is .at the same level and athird pulley portion of one of said elements which. is at arelatively different level.

3. A.:p1ural-speed friction drive mechanism. for phonograph turntables of the type. wherein a final drive wheel of the mechanism is adapted to be peripherally engaged with a lateral annular surface'of a phonograph turntable flange for driving the turntable, comprising anapertured mounting plate, a motor pendantly supported by the plate having a shaft projected upwardly through a. plate aperture and provided with three successive pulley portions disposed above said plate, the

uppermost shaft pulley portion being'of least diameter, an adjustment lever journalled for horizontal swinging movement on said plate, said lever having a manually swingablehandle portion, said handle adapted'tobe swung in opposite directions in a path of uniformly like nature throughout, a rotatable idler pulley journall'ed on a movable portion of'said lever and having lower and upper pulley portions respectively disposed at .the levels of the lowermost and intermediateof 14 said: shaft: pulleyiportions; an frictlunidrlvemheel and a laterally and. vertically movable supporting mount therefor-"carried bythecplatessaid. wheel and. said idler pulley being rotatable ion axes 'pan allelto the shaft axis: motion: communicating means operableby said Ievenwhen itsrsaid han dle is swung: in. respectively opposite: directions" thro'ugh asubstantially restricted range: of startion-to-station movement in: its: said patnitonne or another of the: stations: thereof, adapted'tto effect respectively oppositely directed vertical ad's justment movements to; said wheel mountxtore spectively elevate or lower the wheelrim tor the level-of said uppermost shaft pulleyportion or to the alternate common'level of said upper idler pulley-portion and said intermediate shaft: pulley portion; said. plate adapted tobe so interfltted with aipl'atform fora-a pendantly flanged turntable as todispose a portion of the-rim'of said wheel for engagement with a lateral annular surface of the turntable fi'angasprin'g means exerting laterally directed pressure upon said wheel mount to effect engagementof' one of apair of interspaced portions of said wheel rim with that one" of the two uppermost pulley portions of said shaft at whose level saidwheel-is then disposed, and to effect engagement by the other of saidpair ofinterspaced portionsof its'peri-phery with a lateral surface of the turntable fiange, and "said motion communicating means comprising a member adapted, in response to a movement o'f said lever handle" to a third station of its safd path of movement to effect engagement of a -portion of the wheel rim with the upper pulley por-* tion of said idler pulley portion of said-idler pulley Whileefiecting disengagement of the said wheel rimfrom any intermediate shaft pulley portions pre-engagedthereby. p

4. In a selectively plural speed unitary fric tional drive mechanism for phonograph turntables-of the type having a pendant annular flange; comprising a frame, a motorsupported bythe frame and having an upwardly extending vertical. shaft whose upper end, disposed above the frame, comprises three axially 'alignedrespeetively upper, intermediate, andlower pulley portions of which the upper portion is of less di ameter than thei-ntermediate portion, an idler pulley disposed parallel 'toand laterally of "said shaft and having upperand lower-pulleyportions respectively disposed. at the levels off'said intermediate'and lower shaft pulley portions,

said lower idler pulley portion being of greater diameter than said lower shaft portion, a drivebelt encompassing the lower pulley portions of of said" shaft 'and idler pulley; a'vertically and laterally adjustable final drive wheel'havinga friction rim movable to the respective *levels'of either of the'upper pair of shaft-pulley portions, spring means applying laterally directed biasing pressure to cause said wheel rim to'latera-lly' engage that one'of said uppermost pair of shaft pulley portions to whose'level said rim has precedently been adjusted, manually operable motion transmission means comprisinga manually movable handle adapted to be moved. from any one to: any other of a plurality of stations successively disposed in a path of like directional naturethroughout, adapted, when'said handleis moved in one direction from a certain one of said stations-to another one of said'stations in said path, tomove saidwheeltrim'from a first to'a second of the two'levels ofsaidupperj'pair of shaft portions, and torestorethe, 'originallevel of said rim upon reverse movement between said stations, said transmission means comprising means adapted to laterally shift said rim away from 'said shaft portion, in opposition to the effect of said spring means, prior to and during an adjustment movement of the wheel rim from the level of said upper shaft portion to the level of said intermediate shaft portion and to release said wheel at a concluding portion of any such adjustment movement to permit said spring means to move said wheel in the opposite lateral direction whereby the wheel rim is engaged with said intermediate shaft pulley portion, and said transmission means comprising means adapted in response to movement of said adjustment element to a third station in the said path to laterally move said idler pulley laterally to engage, by its pulley portion which is disposed at the levelof said shaft intermediate pulley portion, thesaid wheel rim and to force said wheel laterally to separate said rim from the pi e-engaged intermediate shaft pulley portion, whereby said belt and idler pulley is interposed in the line of drive, between said shaft and said wheel, said frame also supporting said idler pulley, wheel, and adjustment means, and adapted to be interfitted with a turntable-supporting platform so as to peripherally engage the said wheel rim with the pendant flange of the turntable to frictionally drive the same.

5. In a selective plural-speed unitary frictional drive mechanism for phonograph turntables of the type having a pendant annular flange comprising a frame, a motor supported thereby and comprising an upstanding shaft, said shaft having an upper end affording a multiple pulley driving element, an idler pulley element rotatable on an axis parallel to that of said shaft and disposed laterally adjacent thereto, both said driving and idler pulley elements having a first lowermost pulley portion disposed at a common first level, also a second pulley portion disposed at a common intermediate level, and at least one of said elements having an uppermost pulley portion at a third level, any said uppermost pulley portion at said third level being of less diameter than the pulley portion of the same element which is disposed at said intermediate level, a vertically and laterally movable mount caried by the frame, a final drive wheel supported by the mount, said wheel adapted, by removably securing said frame to a phonograph turntable platform to be so disposed as to laterally peripherally engage the annular truntable flange thereof, spring means yieldably urging said mount in such a lateral direction as to effect peripheral engagement of the wheel rim with said flange and concurrently with a pre-selected one of those pulley portions of said elements which are disposed at either said second or third levels, manually operable adjustment means comprising a motivating handle, said handle adapted for station-to-station sequential movement in a path of motion of uniform directional nature throughout, and said adjustment means adapted, responsive to a complete movement in either opposite direction to move said mount sequentially to different positions to sequentially selectively position said wheel rim for sequential engagement with each of the pulley portions of said pairs of elements which are disposed at either of said second or third levels.

6. The drive mechanism substantially. as set for in claim 5, characterized by said adjustment means comprising a member adapted to be moved in response to a preliminary portion of a station-to-station adjustment movement of said handle from one said station in its path of move? ment toward a next succeeding station, and adapted by such movement to effect movement of said mount in such a direction to laterally withdraw said wheel rim from spring-pressed pro-engagement with a third-level pulley position of one of said elements as a result of overpowering the opposing effect of said spring, said member adapted to maintain such lateral withdrawal of said rim during a next succeeding portion of said handle movement against the opposing effort of said spring means, and to release said mount for lateral movement in the opposite direction to effect engagement of the wheel rim with the second level pulley portion of the same element, by the retractive effect of said spring.

7. A selective plural-speed friction drive mechanism for turntables of the type having a pendant annular flange, comprising a supporting plate, a motor pendantly supported by the plate,

, a flnal drive wheel having a friction rim, a wheel mount having a vertically and laterally movable portion, said mount carrying said wheel at the upper side of said plate and affording a journal upon which said wheel may rotate about a vertical axis, a vertical shaft for said motor having three axially aligned pulley portions of which the uppermost of said portions is-of lesser diameter than the intermediate pulley portion thereof, a laterally shiftable idler pulley having a pair of axially aligned pulley portions which are respectively horizontally aligned with the lowermost and intermediate of said shaft pulley portions, a drive belt encompassing the lowermost pulley portions of said shaft and idler pulley, said shaft and idler pulley being disposed in side-by-side relationship each being located adjacent to the said side of the wheel rim, said plate being adapted to be so secured to a phonograph turntable-supporting platform as to adapt the rim of said wheel for peripheral engagement with the pendant turntable flange, a spring exerting a resiliently applied force which is directed from the axial portion of the wheel towards the space between the said motor shaft and the wheel-engageable portion of the turntable flange, said spring adapted to tend to effect concurrent engagement of a pair of circumferentially interspaced portions at the same side of the wheel rim, respectively with, a lateral face of said flange and a'lateral surface of that one of the two uppermost shaft pulley portions at whose level said rim may at the time be disposed, manually operable adjustment means adapted to interchangeably adjust the wheel rim to the level of one or the other of said upper pair of shaft pulley portions and also comprising means adapted when said wheel rim is in springpressed engagement with said intermediate shaft pulley portion to effect lateral movement of said idler pulley in such a direction as to cause it to engage the rim of said wheel and to laterally move said wheel with its mount, and in opposition to the pressure imposed upon said mount by said spring, in such direction as to effect disengagement of said wheel rim with said intermediate shaft pulley portion, and said adjustment means comprising an element adapted to shift said wheel laterally precedent to, and during any adjustment movement of said wheel wherein its rim is vertically moved from the level of the preengaged uppermost shaft pulley portion to the {Si/61 of the said intermediate shaft pulley porvertical axis, a mount for said wheel adapted for universal horizontal movements and also adapted for adjusted movements to any of a pair of different vertical adjustment positions, an idler pulley element and a mount therefor, said idler pulley mount adapted for movement to relatively different laterally disposed adjustment positions,

a motor and an upwardly extending shaft element therefor, said elements and said wheel being separately journalled for rotation on relatively interspaced vertical axes and said elements each having a plurality of pulley surface portions disposed at relatively different levels, an endless belt looped over and resiliently maintained in engagement with a first pair of said jpulley portions which are respectively disposed on different of said elements and at a common first level, a manually adjustable controller having an operating handle movable in a path of continuously uniform nature throughout from any of three'adjustment positions of rest to any other position of rest in said path, motion transmission means associated with said controller and said wheel, said elements each having a second pulley portion disposed at a second level, and one of said elements having a pulley portion of relatively least diameter disposed at a third level, spring means adapted to continuously exert a resilient effortupon said wheel mount and wheel, with said effort being so directed as to tend to establish and to maintain said wheel rim in peripheral spring pressed engagement with the periphery of any of said pulley portions to the level of which, and adjacent to which, said wheel rim is presented by said transmission means, said transmission means and said spring means adapted, in response to movement of said handle to different of its said three different adjustment positions of rest, to co-operatively interchangeablyelfect peripheral engagement between said wheel rim and the respective pulley portions of said elements which are disposed at the said second level,

or that said pulley portion of one of said elements which is disposed at said third level, according to the adjustment positioning of said handle at a particular one of said three adjustment positions of rest.

9. The drive mechanism for phonograph turntables substantially as set forth in claim 2 characterized by said motion transmission means comprising laterally deflecting means adapted in response to an initial portion only of an adjustment movement of said handle from one said position of rest towards another said position of rest whereby said wheel rim is adapted to be moved by said transmission means from one of said levels to another level, adapted to laterally separate said wheel rim from a pre-engaged pulley portion of one of said elements in opposition to the said effort exerted on said wheel by said spring on said wheel, and said laterally deflecting means adapted to be disabled, in response to the concluding portion of any said selective adjustment movement of said transmission means, whereby said wheel rim is disposed at said different level of a different pulley portion of the same element, and to adapt said spring to then 18 effect spring pressed peripheral engagement between "said wheel rim and the selected pulley'portion at said different level. J

10. The drivemechanism substantially as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the provision of means affording-a fourth position of rest for said controller handle, and by; adapting the said ancillary transmission means in response to positioning said handle at said fourth position of rest, to maintain the rim of said wheel in laterally separated relation to a pulley portion of that one of said elements which is disposed at the level of said wheel rim.

11. A selective three-speed frictional drive transmission mechanism adapted for application to a cylindrically annular flange portion of a phonograph turntable, to frictionally drive the same, comprising in combination with an electric motor and an upwardly directed drive shaft thereof, a mounting plate from which said motor is suspended, said shaft having an end portion projected upwardly above said plate and said end portion having an intermediate pulley portion of greater diameter than an uppermost pulley portion disposed thereabove, and a lowermost third pulley portion, a manually operable adjustment element carried by the plate, which is selectively movable in a path of substantially like directional nature throughout, to at least three successively disposed adjustment positions of rest located in interspaced relation on said path, means adapted to yieldably retain said element at any said rest positions, a supplemental pulley journalled to rotate on an axis parallel to that of said shaft, being carried on a movable portion of said adjustment element and having a relatively lower pulley portion disposed in laterally interspaced relation to, and at the level of said third shaft pulley portion and having an upper pulley portion, friction drive means adapted to communicate rotary motion from said shaft third portion to said lower pulley portion of said supplemental pulley, a friction wheel carried by said plate, and journalled for rotation on an axis parallel to that of said shaft and adapted to be adjustably moved upwardly, downwardly, laterally in response to movements of said adjustment element in said path of movement, spring means resiliently constraining said wheel in the general direction of said shaft and supplemental pulley, and means deriving adjustment movement from said adjustment element, when moved from one extreme position to the opposite extreme'position adapted to sequentially mov said wheel laterally away from peripheral engagement with a preengaged one of the upper pair of pulley portions of said shaft then to move said wheel to the level of the other pulley portion of said pair, and said adjustment element when moving from a laterally disposed one of its said adjustment positions to another of its said adjustment positions, adapted to so laterally move said supplemental pulley as to engage and thrust the periphery of the upper pulley portion of said supplemental pulley against the periphery of said wheel to such an extent as to cause said wheel to be moved sufficiently laterally against the power of said spring to effect disengagement of said wheel periphery from said intermediate shaft pulley portion, whereby said wheel is frictionally driven by said supplemental pulley, said supplemental pulley, in turn, being frictionally driven by said shaft, and means adapting said mechanism to be associated with a turntable by so interfitting said plate with a turntable-supporting platform that a peripheral 19 portion of said wheel may be frictlonally engaged The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

20 UNITED STATES PATENTS with an annular part of the turntable to drive Number Name Date the Same- 1,049,883 Lord Jan. '1 1913 SIDNEY CAPELL- 5 1,591,494 Lanchester July 6,1926 2,130,931 Rysick Sept. 20, 1938 REFERENCES CITED 2,438,265 Metzner Mar, 23, 1948 

